Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob was recently reported to be interested in purchasing the MLB franchise San Diego Padres, leading to much speculation regarding his current stake in the NBA team. As things stand, Lacob is the owner of the most valuable franchise in the NBA, given the Warriors' success over the past decade.
However, for Bill Simmons, Lacob's desire to add the Padres to his portfolio could mean he will sell the Warriors.
"I'm wondering, so let's say he wins, and he gets the Padres. Is it unimaginable to think that the next team would be available? Because I've asked it to people, and they were like, 'No way, he'll never sell the Warriors,'" Simmons initially said on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
However, Simmons believes this could lead to Lacob moving on to a new challenge.
"But right now it's the perfect time to sell the Warriors. Because you're at the peak of the market, there's money coming in for expansion and then on top of that the new owner can be the new owner of that team for the next three to seven years with Steph Curry on it, no matter how long he plays. And you can just be like, you know, four titles. I couldn't have done better than that. I built this amazing infrastructure, and now I get to take my talents to baseball. Will go,” he said. Said.
There is no doubt that the Warriors need to rebuild to emerge as a contender in the next few seasons. Stephen Curry, who started the Warriors' championship runs, is now 37, with Draymond Green also approaching the end of his career.
Furthermore, the Padres present a unique opportunity for Lacob. The possibility of a sale of the team is being explored following the death of owner Peter Seidler and ongoing legal and financial complications surrounding the family trust that controls the organization.
Lacob has previously attempted to purchase other MLB teams, including the Athletics and Angels, and has long expressed a desire to own a baseball franchise. From a purely business standpoint, this might actually be the right time for Lacob to enter MLB, even if it means opting out of the NBA.
